Last chance for athletes to catch the selectors’ eye for Northern 12-stage Road Relay Championship

Sunderland Harriers senior men's team, who are the winners of the North Eastern Harrier League First Division title.

Published:13:00Wednesday 23 March 2016

Share this article

Sign Up To Our Daily Newsletter

Sunderland Harriers will use Elswick Harriers’ Good Friday Road Relays as a selection race to determine their teams for the Northern 12-stage Road Relay Championship at Silksworth Sports Complex a week on Saturday.

Athletes on the fringe of selection for both teams have their last chance to catch the selectors’ eye at Newburn Riverside Business Park.

They will be racing over legs of approximately 2.2 miles, which replicates that of the Northern Championship relay.

Team manager Albert James said: “Both Northern teams have more or less selected themselves, but there is still a chance for someone to squeeze into the teams with a good performance at Elswick.

“They have a great opportunity to grab a place in the championship and they will know what they have to do.’’

James is expecting former North East Cross Country champion Mark Hood to return to competition at Elswick after a long absence through injury.

Although far from his fittest, his performance will be eagerly awaited ahead of the championship race.

One athlete who almost certainly ran himself into the A team for the championship relay is veteran Micky Thompson, who was runner-up in the Harrier League race at Wrekenton on Saturday.

Following Sunderland Harriers win in the North Eastern Harrier League First Division at Wrekenton last Saturday, the relegation of Wallsend from the top flight leaves Sunderland as the last remaining club that has never been out of the First Division since the leagues were split into three divisions in 1993.

They have now overtaken Heaton Harriers as the club that has won more Harrier League titles since the league was formed in 1896.

It is the oldest cross country league in the country. Then it was established as the Northumberland and Durham Paperchase League.

The final league race brought to an end Sunderland Harriers’ cross country Grand Prix and 98 members were involved in the chase for the first five prizes.